Ingres not only recreated Mme Recamier’s pose in the Grande Odalisque, but maintained her soft, sensual, and youthful features. Both females glare at the viewer with an unimpressed expression as their bodies extend across their cushioned beds. This elongation of the body seems to have fascinated Ingres and may stem from his studies of the famous Medici Venus statue, in which her deformities are emphasized. Just as Ingres looked to his artistic predecessors for aid in approaching his new creations, modern day artists also gain stimulation from master artists and often translate the work into a more modern presentation.

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